The article examines strategies adopted by Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal to ensure the availability of primary school teachers. In Burkina Faso, regionalized recruitment since 2003 aims for equitable distribution of teachers, though adjustments have been made due to social and union pressures. In Côte d'Ivoire, the Centres d'Animation et de Formation Pédagogique (CAFOP) train assistant teachers over three years, with a recruitment target of 6,600 teachers annually as per the 2016-2025 sector plan. In Senegal, the profession's appeal is based on accessibility (59%), job security (19%), promotion opportunities (14%), and length of school vacations (8%). These countries employ diverse approaches to address challenges related to the availability and retention of primary school teachers.

Education, Public Administration, Recruitment, Training

In this interview, Dr. Sarr emphasizes that the main political priority for Senegal's next president should be to re-establish dialogue and restore citizens' trust in institutions. He highlights the importance of continuous dialogue between the government and the opposition, even outside electoral periods, to strengthen democracy and ensure national stability. Dr. Sarr also underscores the need to heed the aspirations of the youth, who constitute approximately 65 to 70% of Senegal's population, and to involve them more actively in nation-building. He addresses critical challenges such as youth unemployment, reforming the education system, combating inflation, managing clandestine immigration, and improving the healthcare system. Finally, he calls for a reassessment of Senegal's hyper-presidential political system to achieve a better balance of power and greater autonomy for judicial and legislative institutions.

Youth, Election, Dialogue, Institution, Hyperprésidentialisme

In her interview, Amayel Diop, a lecturer and researcher at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, discusses the challenges of women's participation in Senegalese politics. She highlights the difficulty women face in balancing family life and political engagement, particularly due to political meetings often being scheduled at times incompatible with their domestic responsibilities. Ms. Diop critiques the 2010 parity law, believing it has not achieved its goals due to a lack of enforcement mechanisms. She urges women to move beyond secondary roles and take on leadership positions. Emphasizing the importance of intellectual and financial empowerment, she advocates for greater solidarity among women to overcome persistent sociocultural barriers.

Inequality, Gender, Women, Political participation

This article features an interview with Ndioro Ndiaye, former Senegalese minister, who emphasizes that gender parity does not equate to true equality. She highlights the historical role of pioneering Senegalese women such as Caroline Faye Diop and Maïmouna Kane in advancing women's emancipation. Ndiaye points out that while parity laws have been adopted in Senegal, their enforcement—particularly in appointive positions—remains inadequate. She calls for a reform of legislative frameworks to ensure effective equality and urges women to actively prepare for upcoming local elections. The article underscores that symbolic parity must be accompanied by real opportunities and power-sharing mechanisms to achieve lasting gender equity in public and political life.

Women, Parity, Equality, Empowerment

The report titled "Security Sector Reform and Governance in Senegal," written by Colonel Babacar Diouf and published by the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) on January 22, 2024, examines the historical evolution and current state of Security Sector Governance (SSG) in Senegal. It analyzes key components of the sector, including the Army, Gendarmerie, Police, Special Forces, Intelligence Services, and the Penitentiary Sector. The article highlights major reforms undertaken since independence to strengthen the capacities of the armed forces and underscores contemporary challenges the country faces in terms of security.

Governance, Security, Réforme

In the article titled "Toxic masculinity is very present within the media," published on December 6, 2021, on WATHI, Maïmouna Astou Yade emphasizes the crucial role of media in public life and their influence on perceptions of gender equality. She notes that, despite some progress, media coverage of women's issues remains inadequate, particularly regarding violence against women, which is often downplayed. Yade criticizes the persistence of patriarchal stereotypes in the media, which promote male leadership at the expense of female representation. She calls for a multidisciplinary approach to raise awareness and train media professionals on gender equality issues, aiming to transform internal practices and improve coverage of topics related to women.

Inequality, Gender, Inclusion

In the article titled "Our sociocultural constraints are reflected in the way we handle information related to women," published on November 24, 2021, on WATHI, Sofia Ba discusses the significant yet often unrecognized role of women in Senegalese society due to sociocultural norms. She highlights that, although women are active in the media, barriers persist, frequently confining them to roles related to entertainment or sociocultural topics. Ba advocates for a more diverse representation of women in the media, reflecting their varied expertise, including in economics, politics, and sciences. She also critiques the biased treatment of information concerning women, influenced by enduring social beliefs and constraints. For her, the media play a crucial role in shaping societal perceptions of women's roles and must accurately reflect societal realities, even when uncomfortable. Ba calls for a strategic use of social networks to convey messages about gender inequalities and a redefinition of feminism, often misunderstood and negatively perceived in Senegal.

Culture, Gender, Inclusion

The article by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, published on October 1, 2024, examines the southward advance of militant Islamist groups in Mali, intensifying threats around Bamako. Since the military coup in August 2020, security has deteriorated, with attacks within 150 km of the capital increasing from 3 in 2020 to a projected 34 in 2024. Deaths related to this violence in southern Mali are expected to double to 335 this year. Border areas with Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania are also under increased pressure. Simultaneously, human rights abuses attributed to Malian forces and Russian mercenaries have risen, with civilian deaths increasing from 84 in 2019 to a projected 1,044 in 2024. These violations undermine public trust and exacerbate community tensions. The article emphasizes the need for improved security sector governance and a transition to civilian rule to stabilize Mali and enhance regional cooperation.

Human Rights, Insécurité, Transition, Coopération régionale

The article "Performing (In)securities in West Africa: Territorial meshing and local participation in cross-border security" by Charline Kopf, published on December 19, 2023, by Presses universitaires de Louvain in the journal Anthropologie & développement, analyzes the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) border community engagement program in Senegal's border regions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2019, the article examines various initiatives aimed at enhancing cooperation between security forces and local communities, such as awareness-raising theater performances, comics, and a crisis simulation exercise. These "territorial meshing" practices promote a border control culture that shifts security responsibility to citizens. However, the author highlights that the emphasis on "local communities" participation contrasts with the global standardization of spaces and temporal logics of prevention and preparedness, creating tension between envisioned scenarios and their actual unfolding, thus opening space for criticism and questioning

Governance, Migration, Boundary, Security